This invention concerns internal combustion engines of a type used in automotive vehicles and more particularly the air induction and fuel system components. Recent trends in automotive engine design have included the increasing use of molded plastic parts such as intake manifolds and fuel and air induction system components in order to lower costs and reduce engine weight.
Integration of some of these components has also been proposed to reduce costs.
See as examples, U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,864 describing an air cleaner with integrated noise attenuating components; U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,819 describing an air cleaner housing integrating fuel/air induction system components; and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,850 describing integrated intake manifold and fuel system components.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,863, issued Feb. 2, 1999, attorney docket No. 97 P 7661 US, describes an integrated air cleaner-resonator assembly using a radially sealed cylindrical air filter disposed within a molded plastic air cleaner housing which also defines resonator and expansion chambers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,863, issued on Jun. 30, 1998, attorney docket No. 96 P 7679 US, describes an integrated intake manifold and fuel rail with a method for assembling fuel injectors into the seats in the fuel rail and intake manifold.
It is an object of the present invention to provide further integrated engine air induction and fuel system components in a molded plastic construction, which also further reduces weight, complexity, and costs from designs heretofore proposed, while also providing additional functional advantages for these systems.